DUET – A Hidden Gem on the Moto X

Moto X and Moto G users, have you seen DUET? Visit Spotlight and Duet should be your top option (hint: make sure your phone software is up-to-date.)

Duet is a hidden gem from Google and Motorola. Motorola teamed up with Glen Keane, a longtime Disney animator (The Little Mermaid & Aladdin) to bring you a delightful interactive story called, Duet. Duet is a traditionally animated, hand-drawn interactive film.

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Glen produced “Duet” with Google’s Advanced Technology and Projects group.(ATAP). This is the third in Google’s series of Spotlight Stories that are designed to explore the possibilities of interactive animation on mobile devices. Duet is the first traditionally animated, hand-drawn film to debut as a Spotlight Story.

Glen had to draw at 60 frames per second, not the typical 24 frames per second. In all Glen, drew in 3.0 perspective 10,055 original drawings, and that is just the frames that are visible.

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Duet tells the story of Mia and Tosh and how their individual paths in life weave together to create an inspired duet. To view the interactive animation short, you will need Moto X or Moto G and the short that you can view by moving the viewpoint of the camera by looking up, down and all around with your phone. Be prepared to turn circles and move up and down. It’s a really cool experience and just shows the awesomeness of the phone’s technology mixed with the artistic beauty that Glen Keane created with the story.

I showed this to my husband and he was amazed. The use of this technology gives an amazing feeling that you are actually in the short with the characters. Also a VR type feeling, with no headset – just your Moto X. And the kids, they love it – and the Moto X was only dropped twice as they spun around watching this short, over and over.

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Its animation and music and its perfect. Free form animation let’s the characters move unlike the typical movies you see now a days. I made the mistake of watching Duet for the first time after doing a reflection post on my kids. Actually it was a post about bringing home each of our babies, so this just was overkill for the feelings.

This animated short tells a sweet story from birth to adulthood, which honestly the timing couldn’t of been more perfect? worse? as I CRIED MY EYES OUT, where did MY BABIES GO? The music just pulls you in and the lighting and your movement to see the animation — it’s just something else….

Here is a sneak peek to give you an idea of what you are in for:

I ran across this video of Glen Keane speaking the Google IO Developer event in 2014. He previewed Duet and talked a little about what he does. He said he is an artist first, that animates. He then goes on to say, “I’m an animator, with a pencil.” How great is that? I’ve never thought of animators as such, but that is exactly what they are. This is a great behind the scenes preview of Glen explaining the store behind the story and the development process of Duet. (Another great line: “I see drawing as a seismograph to the soul. The lines representing how I feel. The eyes are the window to the soul.”)

Make sure to check out the other spotlight features: Buggy Night and Windy Day – those too will make you smile.

Stay tuned for a full review on the Moto X!

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Thank you Motorola, Google and Glen Keene Studios for providing a Duet engraved Moto X to experience the interactive story. All opinions are my own.

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